Method and system for continuously pumping a solid material and method and system for hydrogen formation

Abstract

A method of continuously providing a pressurized slurry of a solid material and liquid carbon dioxide is disclosed. The method comprises mixing particles of the solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container and feeding the mixture of the solid material and the solid carbon dioxide to a pump to form a slurry of the solid material and liquified carbon dioxide. Within the pump, the solid carbon dioxide sublimates, forming a gaseous carbon dioxide that subsequently liquefies due to an increase in pressure. The liquid carbon dioxide and the solid material then mix to form the slurry of the solid material and the liquid carbon dioxide. In some embodiments, the pressurized slurry may be used for pipeline transportation of the solid material. A system of producing a continuous pressurized slurry of solid material and liquid carbon dioxide is also disclosed. A method of producing hydrogen is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container to form a mixture of the solid material and the solid carbon dioxide; 
 feeding the mixture of the solid material and the solid carbon dioxide into a progressive cavity pump; 
 sublimating the solid carbon dioxide within the progressive cavity pump to form gaseous carbon dioxide; 
 increasing pressure within the progressive cavity pump to liquefy the gaseous carbon dioxide to form liquid carbon dioxide; and 
 mixing the liquid carbon dioxide and the solid material within the progressive cavity pump to form a slurry of the solid material and liquid carbon dioxide. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein sublimating the solid carbon dioxide to form a gaseous carbon dioxide increases the pressure in the pump to a liquefaction pressure of the gaseous carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises mixing about 60 wt. % solid material and about 40 wt. % solid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises feeding a continuous feed of the particles of the solid material to the mixing container. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising replacing atmospheric air from interstitial regions in the continuous feed of the particles of the solid material with a gaseous carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein feeding a continuous feed of the particles of the solid material to the mixing container comprises feeding a continuous feed of one of particles of coal and particles of an abrasive material to the mixing container. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises mixing the particles of the solid material and the particles of solid carbon dioxide in the mixing container at an ambient pressure. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises feeding a continuous feed of the particles of solid carbon dioxide to the mixing container. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein feeding a continuous feed of the particles of solid carbon dioxide to the mixing container comprises adiabatically expanding a liquid carbon dioxide feed stream to form the particles of solid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein adiabatically expanding a liquid carbon dioxide feed stream to form the particles of solid carbon dioxide comprises directing the liquid carbon dioxide through a spray nozzle into the mixing container. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising feeding the slurry of the solid material and the liquid carbon dioxide to a reactor. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising combusting the slurry of the solid material and the liquid carbon dioxide to produce a syngas comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising separating the hydrogen in a gas state from the carbon dioxide in a liquid state. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , further comprising solidifying the separated liquid carbon dioxide to form additional particles of solid carbon dioxide and feeding the additional particles of solid carbon dioxide to the mixing container. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transporting the slurry of the solid material and the liquid carbon dioxide through a pipeline. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises mixing the particles of solid carbon dioxide with particles of at least one of sulfur, petroleum coke, and limestone. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein mixing particles of a solid material and particles of solid carbon dioxide in a mixing container comprises mixing the particles of solid carbon dioxide with particles of an abrasive material other than coal. 
     
     
       18. A method of continuously producing a pressurized slurry, comprising:
 feeding a mixture of a solid material and solid carbon dioxide into a first cavity of a progressive cavity pump; 
 sublimating at least a portion of the solid carbon dioxide within the first cavity to form a gaseous carbon dioxide; 
 increasing the pressure in a second cavity of the progressive cavity pump; 
 liquefying at least a portion of the gaseous carbon dioxide within the second cavity to form a liquid carbon dioxide; and 
 mixing the liquid carbon dioxide and the solid material in a third cavity of the progressive cavity pump to form a pressurized slurry. 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18 , wherein feeding a mixture of a solid material and solid carbon dioxide into a first cavity of the progressive cavity pump comprises feeding a mixture of the solid material and the solid carbon dioxide at ambient pressure into the first cavity of the progressive cavity pump. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein mixing the liquid carbon dioxide and the solid material in a third cavity of the progressive cavity pump forming a pressurized slurry comprises forming the pressurized slurry having a pressure at least about 830 psi. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 18 , further comprising adding additional liquid carbon dioxide to the pressurized slurry.